Lowering the 4th and 8th strings.

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

I have read much on this subject.I do not lower my 4th and 8th either.
With your A&B pedal down you let off and move down two frets lowering the 4th and 8th.
You can do the same thing by going down 4 frets and raising the 5th with your floor pedal and raising 4th and 8th with you F knee lever.You get quite a wide range doing this.by letting off your pedals in the 2nd fret as you pass by.Hope this helps some who do not have the 4th and 8th lower.
By looking around you will find there are many ways to get the same notes of any chord in different frets.Hope this is some help to the ones who are new to this beast.Tracy

Mickey Lawson · From: Cleveland, Tennessee, USA

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

It makes it really nice to have the 3minor chord at the same fret as the 1 and 4 and it gives you a great 5-7th chord with the B pedal at the same fret. Plus , lowering those strings make for great melody playing. Of course the D# is available on string 2, but if you want the melody to have movement with other pedals also involved, you need to lower the 4th and 8th. I do realize that there are a few who don't lower the 4th, but they are a very small minority.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 55 years and still counting.

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

By moving down 4 frets raising the 5th along with the F pedal goes the same thing as moving down 2 frets lowering the 4 and 8.
I do not go by the notes as i am tuned in D 9th.OR the pedals as i do not use the so called Emmons or Day set up.This is a simple way to explain it to guys and girls new to the steel with out confusing them.
Most beginers have not learned music theory yet.To keep it simple any key you are in move up 3 frets and raise the 5th string only.That gives the minor chord to the key you are playing in.
Hold the A&B pedals dowm move up 3 frets and play strings 567 and that also give you the minor to the key you are playing in.Tracy

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

all this is true..

but without the 8 lower, how do you realize the full potential of strings 5 and 8 together using the A ped and Bb lever along with the E lower and E raise ?

not an argument, a question ....

and I haven't even mentioned phrasing along with 7 raise yet..

Me, I want it all...

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

The idea behind the pedals is not just making chords, but the unique sounds of seamlessly bending or morphing from one chord to another. While there's many instances to be found of the "I can get the same chord elsewhere" thing, the effect just isn't the same.

J Fletcher · From: London,Ont,Canada

Since I play E9 only, no C6,I sure would miss being able to play in B6 mode with a nice low B on my 10th string...Jerry

Emmett Roch · From: Texas Hill Country

I've had a couple of old guitars that lowered the 8th but not the 4th.

Even Lloyd Green, who stopped lowering his 4th many years ago, still lowers his 8th.

Personally, I like to be able to lower both because that's the way I learned and what I got used to back in the olden days.

On occasion when I'm practicing, I'll play around one or another particular change (such as using the second string instead of lowering the 4th, for example), trying to achieve the same musical objective without using a certain pedal or lever.

In other words, I see where Tracy is comin' from; I choose to keep and use the changes on my guitar, but I also like to already have an idea what to do if one of them stops working.
_________________
On Earth, as it is in Texas

Papa Joe Pollick · From: Swanton, Ohio

If I had but one lever,it would be the E's lowered.I use this as much as the C pedal.PJ

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

Tracy, you are correct about being the same notes but what I would miss would be all the chord possiblities that you have by lowering the E's.
_________________
Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Fred Glave · From: McHenry, Illinois, USA

I like the nice 7th chord when lowering strings 4&8 with the B pedal down. Working in open position I chord, press A & B pedals down and move up 2 frets to V chord. Then slide down 2 frets while releasing the A pedal, like Tracy said, while levering your E's down and keeping the B pedal down for the V 7th chord. Then release all pedals and levers to resolve in the open position I chord. A variation of that would be to use the F lever to raise the same Es to get your V 7th chord 2 frets below the open I chord position. Those 2 knee levers are like gold.

Gary Preston · From: Columbus, Ohio, USA

I wouldn't know what to do without both the ''E's'' lowered ! There is so much pretty stuff by doing this . And there aren't many Lloyds left !

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

I don't think LLoyd lowers his 4th nd 8th either.Some one correct me if i am wrong.

Larry Strawn · From: Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.

Tracy,
My understanding is that Lloyd lowers the 8th, but not the 4th.

Larry
_________________
Carter SD/10, 4&5 Hilton Pedal, Peavey Sessions 400, Peavey Renown 400, Home Grown Eff/Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Jay Jessup · From: Charlottesville, VA, USA

interesting, I didn't think there was such a thing as E9 tuning without this lever?

Mickey Lawson · From: Cleveland, Tennessee, USA

Isn't the 9th of E-tuning (key of E) F#. Also, D-lever changing E to Eb (in key of E), makes an EMaj7 (without the root E), or G#m minor chord.
EMaj7 = _ - G# - B - D# (without the root E), or
G#m = G# - B - D#.

Ernie Pollock · From: Mt Savage, Md USA

I think Donnie Hinson just nailed that fer ya

Ernie Smile

Ernie Pollock · From: Mt Savage, Md USA

Donny, sorry I spelled your name rong, I didnt do well in school!

Ernie Shocked

Forum Index > Pedal Steel		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic